Sterile Processing Study Material for Certification Exam my copy nov 2 2026

What is the Area Temp & Humidity for Decontamination?

60 deg to 65 deg F, 30% to 60% Humidity

What is the air exchange rate & pressure type for Decontamination?

10 air exchanges per hour under Negative Pressure

What is the Area Temp & Humidity for the Sterile Storage Area?

68 deg to 75 deg F, 35% to 70% Humidity

What is the Area Temp & Humidity for the Prep & Packaging Area?

68 deg to 73 deg F, Ideal Humidity 50% - not lower than 35%

The main role of sterile processing is to:

Provide dependable reliable services to enhance the quality of patient care.

Ethics is the practice of:

Doing the right thing.

Which of the following establishes sterilization practice standards based on opinion, research, and/or theory:

AAMI

EPA, FDA, OSHA and state departments of health (DOH) primarily issue:

Regulations.

Standards for CS/SPD practice are written by:

AAMI

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act provides for which ethical issue?

Confidentiality

If healthcare facilities reprocess single-use devices, the devices must be cleared by:

FDA

OSHA has a great effect on CS/SPD by its regulation of occupational exposure to airborne contaminants, exposure from bloodborne pathogens, and which of the following:

Communication of workplace hazards

The Medical Device Reporting regulation requires:

Healthcare facilities to report deaths or serious injuries from medical devices.

Collection of data and identification of issues are part of what kind of program?

Quality Assurance

To ensure that all employees are learning the same information, training should be:

Standardized

Which branch of science refers to the form and organization of body parts?

Anatomy

Which branch of science refers to the function of specific body parts?

Physiology

The smallest and most numerous structural units possessing the basic characteristics of life are called:

Cells

Which of the following is NOT an environmental factor required for the life of a cell?

Cold

DNA is found in which part of the cell?

Nucleus

Complex structures with specialized functions within the body are known as:

Organs

Red blood cells develop in which part of the body?

Bone Marrow

The smallest bones of the body are found in the:

Middle Ear

Which of the following supports the tongue and the functions in swallowing?

Hyoid Bone

The skull, hyoid, vertebral column, and thoracic cage are part of the:

Axial Skeleton

Muscles make up what part of the body's bulk?

1/2

Which of the following bones can be found in the axial skeleton?

Sternum

Which of the following is part of the appendicular skeleton?

Humerus

The femur, tibia, and fibula are bones of the:

Lower limbs

The humerus, radius, and ulna are bones of the:

Upper limbs

Smooth muscle cells lack:

Striations

What connects muscle to bone?

Tendons

Specialized cells responsible for contractions in the body are called:

Muscles

Which of the following is the largest organ OF the body?

Skin

Nerves and blood supply are located in which layer of the skin?

Dermis

Which of the following are responsible for providing immunity?

White Blood Cells

The breathing process removes which of the following gases from body cells?

Carbon Dioxide

pH is regulated through which system in the body?

Respiratory

Which of the following transports food to the stomach?

Esophagus

The longest part of the GI tract is the:

Small Intestine

Which organ produces bile?

Liver

The entire delicate central nervous system is protected by:

Bony Encasement

The portion of the brain responsible for consciousness is the:

Cerebrum

Which of the following is a function of the voluntary nervous system?

Skeletal Muscle Contractions

Which of the following is a function of the autonomic nervous system?

Heart Rate

Where is the tympanic membrane located?

The Ear

The bladder, ureters, and kidneys are part of the:

Urinary System

The seminal vesicles and bulbourethral glands are part of the:

Male Reproductive System

It is important for the CS/SPD technician to learn anatomy and physiology in order to:

Recognize where instruments are used

The term pathogenic means:

Disease-Producing

What color do Gram-Positive microorganisms stain?

Blue or Purple

What color do Gram-Negative microorganisms stain?

Red or Pink

Microorganisms are measured in:

Microns

The shape of Streptococcus is:

Spherical

The shape of a Spirochete is:

Spiral

Bacteria are unicellular and reproduce by:

Binary Fission

What is the shape of Cocci?

Round

Which type of microorganism has the ability to slow down its metabolism and become dormant?

Gram-Positive Bacillus

Rod-Shaped bacteria are called:

Bacilli

Which of the following is NOT a requirement for a bacteria to survive?

Bright Light

Which of the following is used to test the effectiveness of sterilization cycles?

Spores

A dehydrated cell with a thick, shell-like wall is know as a:

Spore

A microorganism that has a slime-like outer covering is called a:

Capsule

In order to survive, aerobic bacteria require:

Oxygen

CJD is caused by:

Prions

Protozoa are:

Single-Celled Microorganisms

Which of the following requires a living host to multiply?

Viruses

Which of the following pathogens is the cause of tuberculosis?

Mycobacteria

Which of the following is true of fungi?

They include single celled yeasts

Which of the following diseases is NOT caused by a virus?

CJD

Prions are of concern in health care because they:

Are difficult to kill by usual sterilization methods

Which of the following BEST describes a prion?

An Abnormal Protein

Staphylococcus Aureus is a:

Gram-Positive Coccus

VRE can survive on the hands for:

Hours

A healthcare-acquired infection is generally termed a:

Nosocomial Infection

Healthcare-acquired infections account for more than:

90,000 deaths annually

The principal living reservoir of human disease comes from:

The Human Body

Water that has been contaminated by the feces of humans and other animals is most notably responsible for:

Gastrointestinal Disease

The principal route of nosocomial infections is:

Direct Contact

The general term for any inanimate object involved in the spread of infection is:

Fomite

Which of the following is NOT a disease spread by droplets?

Measles

The pathogens that cause tuberculosis, whooping cough, pneumonia, measles, mumps, and smallpox are discharged through the:

Respiratory Tract

Living things responsible for causing disease are called:

Vectors

One of the most common portals of exit in disease transmission is:

The Respiratory Tract

An infection caused by a needle stick enters through which portal of entry?

Parenteral Tissue

The single most effective way to prevent infection is to:

Wash Hands

The MINIMUM time needed for effective hand washing is:

15 seconds

Unless the water turns off automatically, the water should be:

Turned off using a disposable towel

Bloodborne pathogen exposure is regulated by:

OSHA

Which concentration is most effective in alcohol hand sanitizers?

60% to 95%

Waterless hand antiseptics are NOT appropriate when:

Hands are visually soiled

Under standard precautions, all blood and other potentially infectious materials are:

Handled as if they were infectious

A confidential medical evaluation must be performed any time:

An employee is exposed to blood or body fluid

According to AAMI, "The removal of contamination from an item to the extent necessary for further processing or for the intended use" defines":

Cleaning

According to OSHA, the use of physical or chemical means to inactivate bloodborne pathogens from a surface is known as:

Decontamination

What is the first step in the decontamination process?

Manual and/or automated, mechanical cleaning

Microorganisms on contaminated items are referred to as:

Bioburden

Which of the following terms refers to disease-producing microorganisms?

Pathogens

The number of air exchanges in the decontamination area should be:

10

The ventilation system in the decontamination area must be maintained at:

Negative Pressure